Qatar is to expand its fertilizer plant at a cost of 550 million dollars, adding a fourth production complex for exports to Asia, the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) reported on Monday.

It said the new Qatar Fertilizer Co. (Qafco) complex would have a capacity of around 2,400 tons a day (t/d) of ammonia and 3,200 t/d of urea, which is used mainly as an agricultural fertilizer.

An official announcement is expected in September, the Cyprus-based newsletter reported, adding that the capacity levels could be altered.

The project would raise Qafco's total output to some 5,700 t/d of ammonia, used to produce fertilizers and mostly marketed in Australia, India, Korea and Taiwan, and 7,200 t/d of urea, which is shipped to Australia, China, India and Pakistan.

Qafco is a joint venture between government-owned Qatar General Petroleum Corp., with a 75 percent stake, and Norway's Norsk Hydro, which has a 25 percent share - DOHA (AFP)